Fastener for bottle-stoppers.



C. F. THATCHER.

Patented J an. 28, 1919.

r mum: run-.1 m. rnmuma, vunmcrnn, n c

' an STATES PATEN FASTENER FOR BOTTLE-STOPPERS.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Application filed April 19, 1917. Serial No. 163,140.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLns F. THATCHER, a citizen of the United Statesjresiding at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fasteners for Bottle-Stoppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fasteners for bottle stoppers, and it resides in a simple and efficient retaining device, preferably formed of wire, for holding glass stoppers in position.

Bottles containing alcoholic beverages or compositions likely to ferment usually have means for releasing the excess of gas, and it is a further aim of this invention to provide a retaining device for returning the glass stopper to its seat to insure against the loss of the contents of the bottle.

In the drawing forming a part of this application- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the retaining device applied to the neck of a bottle.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the stopper fastener in operative position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the invention, per 86.

The retaining device is especially adapted to use in connection with bottles having cork rings in their mouths and cooperating lass stoppers, so it has, therefore, been ilustrated on the neck of a bottle of this type in the accompanying drawing in which the numeral 1 designates the bottle, in frag ment, 2 the cork ring in the mouth or neck thereof, 3 the glass stopper, which has a depending plug 4 passing through the ring,

and 5 the stopper fastener or retaining device.

This retaining device consists of a single length of wire bent centrally in the form of a semi-circle or U to provide a neck embracing base or clasp 6, ada ted to engage the neck of the bottle immedlately below an exterior peripheral bead or shoulder 7 thereon, and then the end portions are bent upwardly at an acute angle, as at 8, to form substantially parallel arms 9 which have their upper ends turned inwardly in opposing relation for providing the fingers 10. The acute angular bends 8 occur slightly beyond the center of the bottle, and the arms 9 incline rearwardly over the neck clasp 6 to dispose the fingers substantially diametrical of the top of the' glass stopper, def,

picted in Figs. 1 and 3. v I

In this connection it will be noted that the upper surface of the stopper is slightly spherical or round and that-the fingers, be:-

ing substantially a-lined in a horizontal plane, engage the said surface at its center and thereby providing for a slight upward yielding of the stopper during the escape of excessive gas.

In practice, the device is applied by positioning the fingers 10 centrally of the top of the stopper, and swinging the clasp 6 downwardly and transversely of the neck of the bottle during which action, the clasp will spring outwardly and over the shoulder 7 into a position for anchoring the retaining device to the neck of the bottle. To remove the retaining device, the clasp is used as a handle and lifted or swung outwardly away from the bottle until the former slips over the shoulder 7 when it may readily be lifted off.

The device is preferably made from wire possessing sufficient resiliency to accomplish the desired results, since in applying the de-' vice, the clasp is sprung over the shoulder 7 and simultaneously to a greater angular relation with the arms 9 in order to exert a downward pull on the stopper, and the fingers 10 yield during the application of the device and also when the stopper is raised by an excess of gas in the bottle. After any gas surplusage has escaped, the stopper is returned to its seat by the resilient fingers.

The device may economically be manufactured in an expeditious manner and will be found very efiicient as a retaining device or fastener for glass stoppers, being formed along simple and durable lines.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-- 1. In combination with a receptacle having a peripheral shoulder about its neck and a stopper for the receptacle having a convex top, a fastener for the stopper formed of a single length of spring wire bent centrally to form a U-shaped neck-embracing clasp for engaging beneath the shoulder of the receptacle, the ends of said U-clasp extending beyond the center of the receptacle and then upwardly at an acute angle and in a straight line to the center of the stopper to form rigid and backwardly inclining arms, the

upper ends of the arms being inturned at right angles to have their free terminals independently yieldable and to engage the convex top of the stopper at spaced points adjacent its center to permit limited unseating movement of the stopper, said arms riding apart from each other on the convex top as the stopper moves from its seat.

2. A bottle stopper fastener comprising a U-shaped neck-engaging clasp having parallel ends extended to lie beyond the center of a bottle, when applied thereto the ends then extending directly upwardly and at a back Ward inclination in a pair of. parallel upright arms to dispose their upper portions 15 diametrical of the bottle, said upper portions of the arms being bent inwardly to form a pair of alined fingers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 20 two subscribing itnesses.

CHARLES F. THATOHER, Witnesses:

ADA E. HAGERTY, J. A. MILLER.

fiopiee of this; patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 2D. 13. 

